


Restore My Humanity

by IWSTW



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, tags will be added as they apply
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-23 15:26:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13790592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWSTW/pseuds/IWSTW
Summary: Mina, an android, decides to run away from the lab she was built in. On her way through the woods, she runs into two strange people.Unable to go back to where she came from, Mina learns to live with C and Lawrence, who are not human, but considered "monsters." Both parties are unfamiliar with each other's ways, so how will this new situation go?Edit: Discontinued as I'm going to develop these characters into a webcomic instead!





	1. Runaway Robot

**Author's Note:**

> ive had c since 2015, lawrence since 2016, and mina has existed as a vague concept for who knows how long
> 
> its about time i started an Actual Story about them

Finally, her pace slowed down until she came to a stop. Her head jerked around in every direction, making sure she wasn't being followed. She confirmed no one was nearby and let out a sigh. Mina was now alone.

She was raised up to pay close attention to her surroundings, but since she was in a hurry, she hadn't taken the time to see where she was going.

“Trees.” Mina removed a glove placed her hand on one. She took a moment to observe it, wanting to know how it felt up close. Slowly, the palm of her hand ran down it. The bark was rough.

She had seen a forest before, much like the one she was in now, but it was from a distance. Someone else had hurried her away from the window for reasons she couldn't understand then. That person raised her to learn, yet shut down her curiosity. It was a complicated relationship.

“Dr. Belrose...” Her voice trailed off. She couldn't name the emotion she felt when she said that name, but it made her feel sick. She took her hand off the tree and turned back to where she had been running. “Let me go.”

 

Mina wasn't one to feel exhaustion, she hadn't been taught that feeling yet. She was able to keep running for hours, maybe even a day or two. She couldn't tell with the tall trees blocking out the sun. Everything was dark except for the light glow from her green eyes. What perplexed her was that this forest hadn't ended, and furthermore she had yet to see any animals. This was far different from the descriptions she had been given of wooded areas.

“Shouldn't there be a little light?” She wondered aloud. She was too used to being with people, be it Dr. Belrose or any of her assistants, so she felt comforted by her own voice.

Mina looked up to try and see how far up the trees went. The glow from her eyes did not extend far enough, so she enabled her night vision. This only served to worry her, the trees still went higher than she could see. She decided to continue walking and hope she found civilization soon, she would need to charge eventually.

Charge. She had decided to escape the lab that she was raised in, but she didn't stop and think about how she'd need to charge herself. She brought the charger itself, but where would she find power? Mina looked down at her hands, removing both gloves this time.

_I'm not human, and I never will be._

Mina was an android built by Dr. Marie Belrose. In that scientist's eyes, Mina was just a long-term experiment to create a human-like machine. She didn't know what would have happened to her if she was ever “completed.” Now she knew she never would be, but strove onwards. She didn't need to be fully functional, she just wanted to be alive.

She put her gloves back on and began to walk again, immediately stopping upon hearing rustling. She jerked her head towards the source of the sound, there was a bundle of bushes. She wasn't sure whether or not she should pursue whoever may be there as it could be someone following her from the lab. Then again, no human could have kept up with her.

“Excuse me?” Mina decided it was best to speak before approaching.

“Eep!” It was a strange sound to hear. A silence passed before hearing them say any words. “...I've been caught, haven't I?”

As Mina watched, a woman emerged from the bushes, leaves in her messy purple hair. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed the back of her head with her...arm? No, that wasn't an _arm,_ it was some sort of black tendril, a tentacle perhaps? Were there humans like that out there?

The woman had a nervous, fanged smile as she chuckled. “I've never been caught watching humans before...Oh, what should I do?” She seemed to be talking mostly to herself.

Mina cleared her throat, but it sounded a bit more metallic than it should have. She didn't get the chance to speak, however.

“Oh, how rude of me! Sorry, sorry!” The woman brushed the leaves out of her hair and off her suit. She muttered to herself, “I know I'm not supposed to talk to humans and all, but I guess it's a little late for that.” She confidently made eye contact with Mina. “My name is C! How are, um, _who_ are you?” The whites of her eyes were dark black.

“Human?” Mina repeated. It's not like C's muttering was that quiet. Without saying anything else, Mina analyzed the situation in a blink of an eye. _This woman, C, thinks I'm human. This seems to be a source of alarm for her, yet she chose to talk to me anyways. Is she even human? Perhaps she will be less nervous if I correct her._

“My name is Mina,” she began. “I'm sorry to disappoint, but I am not human. I'm—“

“Oh, I see!” C interrupted. “You look human to me...Say, is it just your head that's human? You're covered neck to toe! Can I see- no, wait, sorry! You can just tell me what you are!” She had an innocent smile.

Mina blinked a few times, then continued. “I'm an android. I was, however, built by humans.”

“An android?” C seemed confused. “Haven't heard of that one, maybe Lawry knows! But how were you transformed by humans? I thought only contracts can do that.”

Mina had no idea what C was talking about at all. She then thought that maybe she should be alarmed by talking to someone who isn't human, but realized that Belrose must have left it out for some reason. Or maybe she hadn't found the right time to explain it yet. Either way, that scientist was smart, she would know what C is.

“Are you alright?” C tilted her head. “Oh, wait! What are you doing all the way out here? Usually I'm the only one who comes so close to the barrier.”

Barrier? Just how much of the outside world was Belrose keeping from her? She was totally lost.

Mina began to speak. “I'm sorry, but I'm not at all familiar with all these things you speak of. Would you...mind taking...the...time...” Mina collapsed.

“Woah, hey! Are you okay? What's going on? Oh, I know! I have to...!” Eventually, Mina could no longer hear C's shouting.

 

There were voices chattering around her. It created a sense of alarm in her, but she was unable to open her eyes. It seemed she was barely charging somehow. _Does this mean I was caught?_

One voice was particularly close to her. “She's _freezing_ cold. Are you sure this will work?”

A higher-pitched voice tuned in. “Of course! You said this is what cables are for, right?”

“Well yes, but...those are used for technology.”

Finally, Mina felt she was charged enough to move. She immediately opened her eyes and attempted to sit up, but her head banged on someone else's. She heard an “ow!” and a thud.

“Are you alright?”

Mina vision was focusing. “Yes, I'm fine.”

However, she then saw the question wasn't aimed at her. That woman from before, C, was kneeling down next to a man with a long, brown ponytail. There was a pair of red glasses on the ground beside him as he rubbed his head.

“Here, you dropped these.” C picked up the glasses with her tendrils for arms and placed them back on his face.

The man took them off, flipped them around, then put them back on. “Thanks, C.” He turned to Mina and gave a nervous smile. “You're finally awake.”

Mina nodded. “Did I harm you?”

“Huh? Oh, I'm fine, please don't worry about it!” He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Oh, that's right!” C suddenly began. She pointed to Mina. “This is Mina!” She pointed to the man. “And this is Lawry!”

He cleared his throat. “It's Lawrence.”

“It's nice to meet you,” Mina said as she outstretched her hand.

Lawrence stared momentarily before leaning over to shake her hand.

“You're very cold,” Mina commented.

Lawrence's eyes widened as he looked away. “Well...you are too...”

Mina tilted her head, then realized it was because she just started charging. She should be warm soon though. “Humans are supposed to be warm.”

C had a strange look and way of speaking that led Mina to believe she wasn't human, but another intelligent species that Belrose hadn't informed her of. However with Lawrence, there was nothing unusual about him. Maybe his fashion sense was odd since he wore a crop top over another shirt, but he was “normal.”

“Humans? Are you trying to say I'm...?” Lawrence's face was contorted between confusion and anxiety.

“Are you not?”

Lawrence eyes shifted to the left, then the right, then to C. “Who is she?”

“She's Mina!” C gave a wide smile.

He sighed. “No, I mean- Wait, you don't think...” His eyes briefly met Mina's before he looked away again. “Maybe she's like you?”

C thought for a moment, but said nothing.

“Maybe she just made a contract and had her memories wiped?”

“Oh, true!” C exclaimed. “But now I have tons of cool, new memories!”

“Well, yes, but...” Lawrence turned to Mina. “Can you remember anything at all about your past?”

“Yes, everything is clear.” Mina blankly stated. “My memory is perfect.”

“Oh.”

A silence passed.

Lawrence shook his head. “So that means you're _not_ like C. Then what- what are you?”

“I am an android built by...human scientists.” She felt it would be unwise to go around informing everyone she was built by _the_ Dr. Belrose.

“Android? What's that?” He appeared genuinely confused.

“A machine built to look and act like a human.”

“But you're not human.” It came out as a statement.

“Correct.”

Another silence passed.

Mina spoke up. “I have come to believe you're not human either.”

“Well, yeah...” Lawrence looked embarrassed for some reason.

C chimed in with, “I'm not either! But I don't know what I am, everyone just calls me an 'unknown hybrid!'”

Lawrence nodded. “I'm a...um...I'm a v-vampire.” He seemed to be struggling with words.

Mina felt she had vaguely heard about what a vampire was, but nothing close to a definition. “What's that?”

Lawrence couldn't respond.

“It means he's got cool fangs!” C said.

Mina believed she had read something about humans with fangs, perhaps that's what a vampire was? “Does he drink blood?”

Lawrence shivered.

“Um, he tries not to.” C suddenly looked a bit sheepish.

Mina caught on. “I'm sorry for asking.”

“It's fine,” Lawrence said in a quiet voice.

Once again, there was silence.

Mina realized she would still need to stay plugged up for awhile, and explained that to C and Lawrence. She then asked where they were.

“Some old trailer,” C said. “The lights and everything still work!”

“I guess that's how we were able to charge you,” Lawrence added. “We don't know how much longer it'll have power though.”

“What will you do when it runs out of power?” Mina asked.

“Y-yeah...” It seemed they had no plan for such an occasion.

C leaned in to look at the charging cable. “How much longer do you need to sit here?”

Mina closed her eyes for a moment. “About three more hours.”

Lawrence looked over to the clock hung on the wall. “It's late, let's just sleep while we wait.”

C yawned, but then her eyes widened suddenly. “Isn't it my turn to take the bed?”

“Hm? Yeah, I think so.”

“Yes, finally!” C cheered. She then ran off and closed the door to the bedroom.

Lawrence laid down on the couch next to Mina, adjusting himself to his comfort. “I'm gonna sleep. Goodnight, Mina.”

“Goodnight, Lawrence.” Mina mimicked his tone in order to sound more natural.

Lawrence eventually drifted off to sleep after readjusting himself several times. Mina decided to lay down on the ground while charging. She thought back to how the assistants of Belrose may still be pursuing her, so she felt afraid to power down completely. Instead, she just closed her eyes and listened to the silence of the surrounding world.

 


	2. Fishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After realizing they're out of food, C suggests they go fishing.

Android dreams are memorable and vivid. That's another reason why Mina chose to stay powered on.

She could recall the dreams she would have in the lab not long before she escaped, perhaps they were an influence on her behavior. It got to the point that almost every night, she had the same, near-identical dream, save for a few minor details. It would always have her running away from scientists, but she could never run fast enough. Gradually, they would catch up to her. Then she would trip and fall. Right when she looked up, that same, vile face would always be there to greet her: Marie Belrose.

Just thinking about it, Mina shuddered. She never wanted to “sleep” again. Besides, if she did, she might just wake up back in that lab with that cruel woman.

_Is this what “hate” is?_ She didn't know the answer herself, but could tell there was plenty of fear mixed in with whatever emotion she felt.

Mina turned her head to the side and looked out the window of the trailer. It was light out, so the other two should be—

A door slammed opened, making Mina jump.

“Lawry!” It was C, who was singing out the name. She bolted past Mina, right over to Lawrence. “Wakey, wakey!” She began to shake him.

“Mm...Huh?” Lawrence was barely awake. He slowly rolled over to face her, then grabbed his glasses off the side table. “What's wrong?”

“Hm? Nothing's wrong!” C said. “Wait, no, I'm hungry! Let's get something to eat!”

Lawrence took a moment before speaking. “Is there anything left in the fridge?”

“I'll check!” C then went over to where there was a sink and refrigerator. She opened it and looked around in every corner, going “hmm” all the while. “Nope, all out!”

“What?” This woke Lawrence up, making him get up and look in the fridge as well.

Mina stayed on the floor and continued to listen.

“How can we be out...?”

“Lawry...” C had a dark expression suddenly. “Did you eat all our food?”

“Wh-...what? You _know_ I can't eat that stuff!” He got very defensive.

C's expression lightened up into a smile. “I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Anyways, let's get some food!”

“Alright, the market is about a two hour walk, right?”

Her stomach growled. “...Let's go fishing instead! There's a lake around here somewhere!”

Lawrence sighed. Rather than protest, he turned to Mina, who was still laying on the ground. “You're awake, aren't you?”

“Yes, I am awake.” Mina sat up.

“Do you wanna come with us?” C asked.

She didn't want to be left alone. “Yes.”

 

“How far is this lake?” It sounded more like Lawrence was complaining rather than asking a question. He was barely dragging himself along.

“It's not much further, I think!” C was able to walk perfectly fine.

Lawrence looked down. “How long has it been?”

“One hour and forty two minutes,” Mina answered.

“We could have just gone to the market then!”

C pouted. “But this will be more fun...!”

Lawrence didn't push the topic any further. He decided he'd just have to deal with all the exercise for now.

Eventually, they came upon the lake. It was very, very large, so surely there would be plentiful fish. Once they all got close however, they all felt cold air hit them. Lawrence shivered, but C and Mina seemed fine.

“It's freezing!” Lawrence said.

“Hm?” C was confused for a moment. “Oh yeah, the lake is like that!”

He didn't add any further comments.

Mina stared down at the water. It unsettled her, she felt like she should leave. She couldn't place why though, other than the thought of how cold the water must be. “C, is this safe?”

“Of course! I've been here plenty of times!”

“You know how to fish then?” Lawrence asked.

“Nope!”

No one knew how to reply or even react to that.

Eventually, Lawrence spoke. “Well since you're hungry, I'm sure you'll figure it out so you can eat.”

“You won't help?” C put on a pitiful look.

“Uh...I wouldn't know how to.”

“Hm...” C began to think. Her face lit up. “Oh, I got it!” She turned and took a step into the water without even removing her shoes.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Lawrence panicked for a moment. “It's freezing out here! How can you just go in the water so casually? Besides, you'll scare away all the fish!”

C stepped further into the water.

“Wait, wait, C!” He sped over to try to grab her. “You'll get sick!”

She was already too far for him to reach, unless he wanted to step in the water himself.

“Come back!”

Soon enough she was knee deep, then the water soon came to her waist.

Lawrence frantically looked back and forth between his friend and the shallow water before him. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “C!” He opened them and looked, but she was nowhere to be seen. He made a pained noise.

“Are you alright?” Mina plainly asked.

“Did-...did you not see what just happened?” Lawrence was shaking.

Mina looked him in the eyes, but that made him look away. “C is not human, and appears to not be bothered by the cold. If she was able to effortlessly walk through freezing water like that, she should be fine.”

“How can-...how can she breathe under there?”

“I would assume one of two things.” Mina raised a finger. “She can breathe underwater.” She raised a second finger. “She does not breathe at all.”

“What?” Lawrence looked side to side before looking back at Mina. He tried to make eye contact at first, but soon instead feigned it by looking at her nose. “What are you talking about? Of course she breathes!”

“Then let us ask her when she emerges.”

After a moment, Lawrence nodded.

And so, they ended up awkwardly waiting for C. Neither could find a way to start conversation. Eventually Lawrence sat down under a tree, but Mina continued to stand and watch the water.

“Excuse me?”

Lawrence was startled, Mina immediately turned around. They were greeted by a tall, older woman carrying a hand basket. She had fur all over, and would have been considered some sort of centaur, except she was spider-like—an arachnid. Her dark orange hair covered her eyes, but Lawrence could feel them staring at him.

The woman pointed towards him. “You wouldn't happen to be...Lawry, is it?”

Lawrence's face turned slightly pink before responding with, “It's Lawrence.”

She clapped her hands together. “Oh, good! Then you know C, don't you, dear?”

“Um, yes, we're good friends.”

“Great, then could you give her this when you see her?” She pulled out a sandwich from her hand basket and gave it to him. “Oh, where are my manners? I'm Prudence.” She knelt down and extended her hand to Lawrence.

He reluctantly shook it. “Uh, how do you know C?”

“Well, we only met rather recently, but she comes by this lake every now and then. She gets along well with my wife, who really needs more friends. She's really more of a shut-in, you know...” She placed her hands on her cheeks. “But she's so sweet, others just can't see it! My dear Holly just has a bit of a _cold_ exterior, that's all!” She seemed to be holding back from gushing about her wife.

Lawrence couldn't figure out how to reply.

Prudence didn't notice Mina at all, so she continued speaking to Lawrence only. “Well, I'm going to go and check on her now!” She walked past him and close to the lake. She took a deep, deep breath, then shouted, “Holly!”

Lawrence's ears began to ring from the volume.

Out in the water, two forms emerged. One was walking towards them, then other floating. It was C and what appeared to be a blue mermaid.

The mermaid was smiling until she noticed two unfamiliar faces, then her expression went blank. She crossed her arms.

“Holly, dear, don't be like that!” Prudence said.

C, who had reached land, shouted, “Fish is _so_ good!” She stretched her tentacle-arms and back.

“C!” Lawrence ran up to her. “Are you okay?”

“Hm? Of course!” She gave a smile.

“You're soaking wet!”

“Well yeah, I went in the water.”

Conversation between those two went on as Prudence stepped into the water herself. “Are you ready to go for a walk?”

“Yes, but...” Holly began. “Where's my wheelchair?”

Prudence looked all around herself. “Oh no, I forgot! I'll be right back, dear, I'm so sorry!”

“It's fine...” Holly then went back underwater.

Prudence sighed and muttered to herself, “Always so shy around others...”

Mina felt out of place, everyone had someone to talk to, but she had just been awkwardly standing there doing nothing for who knows how long. She thought about leaving, but soon concluded that might cause distress in C and Lawrence. She didn't want to be a bother.

“Well, did you eat anything?” Lawrence asked.

“Fish, I ate fish!” C seemed a little annoyed, like that should have been obvious.

“Ah, I see...Wait, how did you cook it underwater?”

“Why would I cook it?”

Lawrence's face went completely blank.

Prudence then darted away to go get her wife's wheelchair.

“Well, let's just go back!” C suggested.

Lawrence slowly nodded. “Are you full?”

“Yep, I'm good!” C paused. “Are you hungry?”

Lawrence went pale. “No, I'm- I'm good.”

C's face showed concern, but she said nothing further.

“Shall we head back?” Mina finally entered a conversation.

“Yeah, let's go!” C appeared cheery, but her face didn't totally match her tone of voice.

They all went on the long walk back to the trailer, Lawrence practically dying from all the exercise. At one point C picked him up to carry him back, embarrassing him. He was still grateful though that he wouldn't have to continue walking. And so, they eventually made it back.

 


	3. The Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Realizing that the fish would only count as one meal, they set out for the market the next day.

“...We're still out of food.”

No one realized that the fish would only count for _one_ meal, and that when they'd come back to the trailer, there would still be no more food.

“Let's go to the market!” C suggested.

In shock, Lawrence said, “You can still walk after all that?”

She pouted. “You _can't?_ Even after I carried you back?”

“You...didn't have to...” He said this despite knowing well that he wouldn't have made it back on his own.

“Shall I accompany you, C?” Mina asked.

“Hmm...let's wait until Lawry can walk!”

“You usually go by yourself?” His statement came out sounding like a question. The walk was about the same distance, so he hardly went with her. However, there was a particular reason he didn't like to go other than the exercise...

“Exactly! You need to get out more!” C said.

“...I'm not going out again today.”

“Then I'll carry you there!”

“How are you _never_ tired?”

Mina decided to join the conversation. “We should all rest for today after our trip. We will set out tomorrow, and get plentiful food.”

C and Lawrence came to agree with that. However, C made sure to add in small complaints throughout the rest of the day about food. They didn't have anything to do for the rest of the day, so they played card games and the like. Mina mostly got the hang of the games, and was especially good at BS. No one could tell when she was lying. She didn't feel too happy about winning though, due to the reactions of the other two. Eventually she began to lose a lot on purpose.

 

Mina still didn't sleep, but charged herself throughout the night. This time C was on the couch, Lawrence in the bedroom. She opened her eyes to the sound of knocking, frightening her at first before she realized it was C.

“Lawry! Are you up?” The way she knocked had a strange sound compared to human fists hitting a door, it sounded more muffled.

“I'm up!” After some shuffling was heard, he opened the door. “What is it?”

“We're going to the market, remember?”

He opened his mouth to protest.

“Nope, none of that! You agreed yesterday!”

He sighed. “Alright.”

 

C ended up carrying him there, insisting on it so that he could help carry food back. Once they were getting close to the market, she put him down. Lawrence didn't want anyone to see him like that, especially not strangers.

“What is this market?” Mina asked.

“Wow, you waited a long time to ask that,” C commented.

Lawrence ended up being the one to explain it. “It's a place with tons of shops, but it's pretty much a city at this point. Lots of people are here daily, whether they live here or are traveling.”

“Oh!” C interrupted. “We should go see Mr. Alden!”

Lawrence grimaced. “Uh, _no,_ we shouldn't.” His words came out quick.

“Aw, why not?”

“Because...because...” He took a moment to come up with something. “He's probably busy with patients!”

“All we have to do is say hi! Besides, he'd be so happy to see you! You _never_ visit!”

“Uh...” Lawrence went a bit pale. He didn't know how to respond.

“Then it's settled! We'll see Mr. Alden before grabbing our food!”

Mina asked, “Who is Mr. Alden?”

“Oh, he's super cool! He's got tons of books to read and all sorts of fancy tools!” C said.

Mina looked to Lawrence, who shook his head.

As they reached the outskirts of the market, Mina began to hear the sounds of people chattering and moving about. She could see what appeared to be some stands and tents in the distance.

Lawrence began to speak. “Look, I can just grab some food for you while you visit him.”

“No, I wanna pick it out!” C wrapped a tentacle-arm around his arm. “So come with me!”

With the tight feeling around his arm, he knew he couldn't get out of this. He'd just have to hope he's not noticed, hope for the best.

 

They walked through the market, Mina taking note of her surroundings. The crowd was light today, but she still had to avoid bumping into people. Trees and most other plants weren't present, instead a dirt path covered the area with the occasional surviving plant. There were all sorts of shops, though really they were stands with tents covering them. There were plentiful ones with food in this area, especially meat, it appeared. That isn't to say that was the only food they had, there were strange looking pastries and bread, and what she could assume to be some foreign fruit. She had no appetite as a machine, but she found some of the food to be pretty, and others repulsive. She didn't have too much time to look at each individual shop however, as C was dragging Lawrence along. Mina had to keep up with them.

Eventually they came upon what was an actual building with a big, wooden door. The structure seemed quite worn, it must have seen better days.

Lawrence's voice was shaky. “C, I don't think I—“

C began to knock. “I'm coming in!” She opened the door.

“Come in!” The voice was deep. The person seemed to attempt an expressive voice, but it came out a bit flat.

C then entered and yanked Lawrence in with her. Mina stepped in behind them before the door shut on its own. It was pretty dark, save for some candles lit. Mina was unsure of whether she should enable night vision or not.

“What brings you in today, C? Are you well, or...?” From the shadows, a man appeared. He was sharply dressed in a coat, and wore a dark plague doctor mask. The only part of him not covered by clothing was his hair, which was somewhat messy.

Lawrence attempted to hide behind C.

“I'm fine, Mr. Alden!” C cheerfully said.

“Just 'Alden' will do.” The way he said it made it seem as if he'd repeated it a thousand times. Suddenly, he perked up. “Why, is that Lawrence with you today? I was wondering what had happened to him, you always come by yourself, C. Is it time for a check-up?”

“Hm...Yeah, it's been awhile, so I guess so!” C said.

“C!” Lawrence whispered in a harsh tone. “Let's go!”

“I have sharp hearing, you know.” Alden crossed his arms. “We need to make sure you're healthy, do we not?”

No comment from Lawrence.

“Well,” Alden began. “I won't do any sort of examination today, since I doubt you'll allow it. At the very least, allow me to ask a few questions. First, how have you been feeling in general? Anything new or unusual?”

Lawrence stayed silent at first, until C nudged him. “I'm fine.”

Alden nodded. “Noted. Here's something more specific to you. Any reaction to sunlight?”

“...No, I never react to it.” He wouldn't look at him.

“Noted. Now, how is your appetite?”

Lawrence winced. “...It's fine.” His voice was a bit quieter than normal, he _dreaded_ being asked this every time he came.

Alden didn't speak, but instead looked over to C.

“He hasn't eaten in...a couple weeks? Maybe a few? I don't know, I lost track.” Her usual smile was gone.

“Noted.” He waited a moment before speaking. “Lawrence?”

No response.

Alden sighed. “You're going to end up malnourished, you know? I don't care how long your type can go without eating, you need to take care of yourself! I don't understand _how_ you've lived as long as you have!”

“I...” Lawrence couldn't find a way to defend himself.

“I don't want to hear it. If you get sick in anyway, assuming you're not already, you'll never get better unless you eat! Then what will you do?”

“Um...” C spoke up. “Is there anything else he can eat?”

“As far as I know, only human blood works for vampires. But it's not like he has to go out and kill anyone, we have plenty of preserved blood here! That's what he drinks, is it not?”

“Well, yes...” C looked down.

“Hell, even I carry bags of it for my patients. I'll give it for free just to get him to eat for once!” He gestured to a corner of the building, but as it was dark there, no one could see it but him.

C took a deep breath, then asked, “Um, Mr. Alden? Everyone calls me an 'unknown hybrid,' right?”

“Yes, it's all anyone can come up with. Why?”

“Hybrids are different from 'regulars,' right?”

Alden nodded. “Regulars are full-blooded monsters, while hybrids are a combination of monster and human.” Then it hit him. “Wait, are you suggesting that Lawrence can drink your blood?”

Lawrence felt lightheaded just thinking about it.

“It's worth a try, isn't it? My neck is still human...It's perfect!”

Mina broke her own silence. “Humans easily die from neck injuries. Even if you aren't human, do not risk it.”

Alden hadn't noticed her before, considering she was both behind C and shorter than her. Without greeting her, he said, “C has good regenerative abilities, she shouldn't die so easily.”

“I see.” Mina said nothing more.

“Exactly! So then...” C trailed off as she looked to her friend.

Lawrence felt sick to his stomach with everything going on around him. He wouldn't look up from the ground as he spoke. “C, let's just go.” His voice was barely a whisper.

C didn't release her grip, but rather moved her tentacle-arm to wrap around his shoulders. She gave a sad look to Alden, who nodded, before walking out with Lawrence. Mina followed immediately.

C went and picked out all the food as she left Lawrence sitting with Mina. Neither of them spoke the whole time. Once C came back, she was carrying a few bags that should could handle herself. The walk back was quiet as well, C didn't initiate any conversation. In fact, she seemed to be deep in thought. Lawrence managed the walk just fine despite moping about.

Once they were all back and C had stored the food in the refrigerator, she said. “I need to do something, I'll be back.” Then she left.

After a silence, Mina said, “C normally talks in a different manner. Is she alright?”

At first Lawrence didn't respond, but eventually said, “She always turns out fine.”

Mina slowly nodded. After a moment, she asked, “Is it alright if I power- I mean, if I sleep for the time being?”

“Go ahead.” Lawrence then laid down on the couch.

Mina hesitated to power herself down, she was afraid she would wake up and be back in the lab. For now though, she would have to have confidence in her new friends to protect her, even if they didn't know of the danger she was in. Mina then powered down.

Lawrence laid in silence for a long time, alone with his thoughts. It was mostly just elaboration on how much he hated his type, and his source of nutrition. How could he have ended up stuck like this? _I hate it. I hate this. I hate who I've become._

It was then the door opened. Lawrence moved his head over to look at who entered, C as always. “Welcome back.”

And then he noticed it. C was holding a full glass, and her once-white shirt collar was dyed red.

 


End file.
